


Family Portrait

by Up_In_Flames



Series: Family Portrait [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Character Death, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Violence, Rape/Non-con Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-10-06 05:02:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10326155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Up_In_Flames/pseuds/Up_In_Flames
Summary: Roxas is your typical 17 year old high school student. Except for being separated from his family, having a rather unorthodox job and being in love with his best friend.Re-re-imagining of a fic from FF.Net 4 years ago.





	1. Boxing Timelines

Chapter 1: Boxing Timelines.

Light filters through the too high windows of one of Oblivion High’s classrooms. A stream of bright white burning the backs of one students eyelids. A small blonde boy towards the back of the room whom had previously had his head on the desk now looked up, opening brilliant azure eyes and blinking into the light. He stifled a yawn behind his hand and glanced up at the large clock on the wall before Mr Highwind’s head. For as much as Roxas liked his physics teacher he just wanted this class to be over. He pulls his phone from his pocket, one new message awaiting him on the screen.  
 “My place after school?” Roxas smiles, if there was always one thing he could count on it was Axel. Whilst Roxas was still in the eleventh grade Axel had graduated two years ago and was attending Twilight Town Community College. However despite this, the two remained as inseparable as they had been when they were kids. As much as Roxas loves his best friend he can’t help but wish that they were more. The feelings that Roxas had towards Axel had been growing steadier and steadier ever since his dad’s accident. Axel was the only person that was there for him. Someone to vent to, a shoulder to cry on.

Roxas let out a sigh of relief as the bell rang, signalling the beginning of the lunch break. Thank god, only one more class after this and then he was free. Roxas made his way into the open air courtyard beside the senior lockers and found two familiar girls sprawled on the grass.  
“Hey Kairi, Namine.” He greeted as he dropped his things on the grass and sat beside them, the girls both smiled at him,  
“Hey Rox,” Kairi greeted him first, “you going to see your dad today?” Roxas nodded as he pulled his now vibrating phone from his pocket, he held a finger up to the girls as he answered it. “What?” The girls both giggled at their friends impolite way of answering, silently asking him who it is while at the same time having a pretty good idea of who it was. If only Roxas knew what they knew. He wouldn’t be nearly as grouchy all the time. “I’m going to the hospital when lunch is over so I’ll see you after that, okay?” Roxas hung up the phone and groaned as the girls continued to laugh.  
“Is our brother really that much of a pain?” Namine asked as Roxas laid on his back, resting his head in her lap so that she could play with his hair.   
“No, just most of the time.” Kairi and Roxas both laughed at his response whilst Namine pouted at the two of them.  
“There you three are you lazy bums!” A familiar voice called in the distance, Roxas sat up to see Hayner, Pence and Olette walking towards them. The girls waved and called out to Olette as Roxas stood and brushed himself off.  
“Who are you calling lazy?” He asked as Hayner and Pence grinned at him, “At least I didn’t sleep through half of physics,” Pence remarked at his friend. Roxas scratched the back of his head sheepishly, grinning at his friends. 

“Alright, I’m off before too many teachers realise I was here to begin with.” Roxas announces to the others,  
“You’re going to get caught one day, Rox.” Olette warns him as he picks up his bag and skateboard from beside her. Roxas just shrugs as he turns away from the group, waving from behind himself as he makes his way to the entrance gate. Once outside Roxas puts his board down and begins skating towards the hospital. It’s a pretty uneventful ride, it’s not that far from the school, maybe only twenty minutes and it’s pretty quiet this time of day. For which Roxas is grateful, he doesn't really want to have to see anyone while on his way to see his father. Roxas stops outside the hospital entrance, hiking his backpack further up his back and placing his skate board under his left arm. He walks inside and waves towards the nurse at the reception desk before continuing down the winding hallways towards the oncology ward. He makes his way into room 18B, his dad smiles up at him from the hospital bed he’s laying in,  
“skipping school again?” He asks, a smile in his eyes. Roxas knows his dad hates that he skips school to come see him, but at the same time he knows that pointing that out will not stop his son in the slightest.

“How did your tests go?” Roxas asks of is father, ignoring the joke that had been made at his expense. His dad sighs and looks at the chart at the end of his bed. Roxas picks it up and flicks through to the results of the cultures that had been taken the previous day. His condition was worsening. His white blood cells have all but given up on fighting and his body would continue to weaken by the day. Roxas puts the chart back as he feels his hands begin to shake, tears streaming down his face.  
“It’s okay Rox, really, I’ll pull through.” His dad smiles at him in an attempt to comfort his son in light of the news that he had just received. Roxas shakes his head, anger now flooding through him,  
“This is all her fault. If she had functioned. If she hadn’t driven you to drink. If she was around at all. This wouldn’t have happened to you.” His father sighs as he places his hand atop of his sons,  
“It’s not her fault Rox, this is no one’s fault.” Roxas shakes his head. He knows this is her fault. Roxas opens his mouth to speak just as a nurse enters the room,  
“I’m terribly sorry sir but visiting hours are ending.” She smiles at Roxas kindly as she says this before exiting the room, presumably to tell the visitors of the other patients the same thing. Roxas stands up, leaning over to hug his dad,  
“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” His father smiles and nods at him as he picks his things up and makes his way out of the hospital.

As Roxas steps on his board and kicks off down the footpath he hears a car horn behind him, turning around to swear at whoever it is he sees a familiar car pull up beside him.  
“Need a ride Sunshine?” The driver asks as Roxas smiles and jumps into the passenger seat, throwing his bag and skateboard onto the back seat after buckling his seat belt. He looks up at the red headed driver, his best friend. His ridiculous, crazy, insanely hot, charismatic best friend.  
“How’s your dad today?” Axel asks as he begins driving towards Roxas’ house,  
“He’s okay, not worse, not better, just okay.” Roxas replies in a monotone voice and Axel takes that as his cue to drop the topic.   
“So, the girls are having a slumber party tonight, is it cool if I crash at yours?” By the girls Axel means Kairi and Namine, he loves his sisters but he can’t stand any of their female friends.  
“Of course you can Ax, you know that.” Axel smiles down at the small blonde boy,  
“Thanks Rox.”

The night passes by in an uneventful way, Roxas ordered the two of them pizza while Axel fawned over the graphics and ambience of the new Resident Evil. Roxas curled up on the couch and watched Axel kill wave after wave of Moulded as he tried to solve the puzzles within the Baker house, every once in a while passing the controller over to Roxas when he had given up on a particular one. Roxas always laughed at this, for as much as Axel talked himself up when it came to his video game prowess he would always meet his maker in puzzles, particularly shadow puzzles. The two boys pack up the console and clean up the remnants of their dinner before making their way upstairs to head to bed. At this point Roxas is dead on his feet, forgetting that Axel is in the room with him as he tugs his shirt over his head, a sharp gasp behind him brings him back to his senses and he quickly pulls his shirt back down.  
“Roxas, how did you get that scar?” Roxas ignores the question, instead picking up his pyjamas and making his way into his joined bathroom, closing the door firmly behind himself before changing. He can’t believe he was so stupid. He had never let any of his friends see his bare back before. It was too ugly. And all her fault. Roxas slowly walked back into his bedroom, putting his clothes into the laundry hamper beside the door. He and Axel always shared a bed when the red head stayed over, they had since they were kids and apparently tonight was no exception. The red head sat waiting on the far side of Roxas’ double bed. “Are you going to tell me what that was?” He asks as Roxas peels back the covers on his side and lowers himself into the bed. This is his best friend. If there’s anyone he can trust with this it’s him.  
“You know what I’ve told you about my mum, right?” The blonde asks, turning to look the older boy in the eye, Axel nods. “That she was drug addict with a violent temper, yeah.” Roxas nodded at Axel’s words,  
“I, was her favourite, and not in a good way. She thought I was pretty when I cried. So when I was about six or seven she took a knife to my back.” Roxas tripped over his words as if he couldn’t say them fast enough, not making eye contact with the red head. He felt a soft hand grab a hold of his chin and gently lift his head to look into Jade eyes,  
:It’s okay Rox, you could have told me sooner.” Roxas smiled at his friend, now feeling like an idiot for freaking out. Of course Axel wouldn’t care, he’s Axel.  
The two laid down beside one another on their backs, their hands barely touching,  
“Goodnight Axel.”  
“Goodnight sunshine.”


	2. But It's Better If You Do

Chapter Two: But It’s Better If You Do

Roxas woke alone the next morning, the sheets beside him still warm from Axel’s body heat. Just then the bathroom door swings open. Axel standing there freshly showered in nothing but a pair of tight fitting black jeans, towel drying his hair. Roxas gulps at the sight. He’d seen his friend shirtless plenty of times but there was still no better sight than a slightly wet, shirtless Axel. Beads of water gathering on the flame tattoos on each of his hips, accentuating his happy trail that dipped from his navel down into the waist band of his jeans.  
“Earth to Roxas,” the redhead chuckled as Roxas shook his head, willing the thoughts to go away, “I’ve gotta head out and run a few errands, do you want me to drop you off anywhere?” The red head asks as he pulls his shirt from last night off of the blonde’s floor,  
“Just your place please, I wanna see Kairi.” Axel nods as Roxas slips out of bed, gathering some clothes and quickly getting changed.

The two make it to Axel’s house in relative silence where he pulls into the driveway to let the blonde boy out before waving him off as he speeds away down the road. Roxas makes his way silently into the Flynn household incase anyone is still asleep. By the sounds of things he was right, the entrance is dark and his eyes take a moment to adjust before he notices a light on upstairs, it looks like the girls are awake. Roxas quietly tiptoes his way upstairs, pausing outside the girls’ room. He listens for a moment, hearing a soft, choked sob come from within. He pushes the door open and sees Namine huddled against a crying Kairi. He quickly moves towards his friend, gathering her in his arms.  
“Kairi, what’s wrong?” He asks, Namine looks at him bewildered, it wasn’t like Roxas to forget things, particularly a day as important as this one,  
“Rox, do you know what day it is?” She asks, of him, he looks at her confused.  
“It’s Saturday Namine.” He replies, as if she had asked him some stupidly obvious question.  
“I-It’s June t-twenty-sixth.” Kairi replies as Roxas stares at her, Namine’s question finally making sense. “I-it’s Sora’s birthday.” Kairi continues as Roxas nods his head and tightens his grip on his friend. She’s right, today is Sora’s twentieth birthday. And he’s not here to celebrate it with them.  
“Shhh, it’s okay Kairi, I miss him too.” Kairi nods, composing herself,  
“Sorry Rox, I just wish we knew where he was.” She explains as he smiles at her, feeling tears of his own begin forming in his eyes.

“Whoa, who died?” A deep voice asks from the doorway, the three friends turn to see Axel standing in the doorway, a tray of coffee’s in one hand, a bag of muffins in the other. “I go get you guys some breakfast and this is what I come back to?” The twins gladly take the steaming hot coffee from their brother, taking the bag of muffins out the door with them, calling out to their oldest brother Reno to wake up if he wants any. “What’s wrong?” Axel asks as Roxas continues to cry, accepting the cup of coffee held out to him, he takes a sip before clearing his throat.  
“It’s Sora’s birthday. I just wish he was here.” Roxas replies as he continues to sip at the warm caffeine in his hands.  
“You’ll see him again Rox, sooner than you think.” Roxas knows that Axel is only trying to help but he can’t help but feel himself get angry at these words.  
“How would you know Axel?” The blonde fumes as he places his cup on the nightstand beside him, ,looking up at his friend as if expecting him to produce some all knowing answer as to his brothers whereabouts for the last four years. “You don’t know anything Axel. You hardly knew Sora and you certainly don’t know where he is now. So just butt out of it, okay?” Roxas feels the tears stream down his face as he pushes himself off of Kairi’s bed, running down the stairs and out the front door.

“What the hell did you do, Axel?” Namine questions her brother as he walks into the kitchen, having just witnesses her friend bolt out of their front door bawling his eyes out.  
“He’s just being a stuck up bitch today,” Axel replies crankily, sipping his coffee, he had only tried to help and Roxas just exploded on him. Namine gave her brother a death stare,  
“you do not speak about Roxas that way.” The ice in her voice was more than evident, Kairi cleared her throat to interrupt before a fight broke out between her siblings,  
“Hey Ax, Marly asked Namine and I to fill in for a couple of his wait staff tonight, can you give us a lift?” She asked sweetly, Marly was a friend of Axel’s who co-owned a local cabaret club that was always in need of staff, mostly because not all of the staff said no to extra curricular activities like the girls did. Axel nodded his head silently before making his way up to his room. Wondering what he was going to do about Roxas.

Roxas flung himself onto his bed when he returned home, his tears no longer for his brother. Why did Axel have to be such an asshole? He knows how much he wishes Sora would come home. Yet he goes and says something like that, trying to get his hoped up. Roxas groans as he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket, he checks the caller ID, ready to chew Axel out. However it wasn’t Axel,  
“Hello?” Roxas answered,  
“Roxy! It’s Marly, I need a favour.” The blonde sighed,  
“yeah?” He asked, hearing the smile in his friend and boss’ voice on the other side of the phone,  
“Ven is sick and I need a stand in for tonight’s show. I also need someone to cover his appointments.” Roxas sighs, great, what was supposed to be his night off has now turned into one of the busiest nights of his week.  
“Fine, I’ll cover the show but i’m not making any promises about the appointments.”  
“Oh thank you Roxy! I’ll see you at 9.” The blonde hangs up and lays down on his bed, curling into a ball, he may as well try to go back to sleep. God knows he’ll need the rest come tonight.

Roxas woke later that afternoon to a text from Namine,  
“call as soon as you get this.” Roxas felt his heart leap into his throat as he dialled her number, wondering what had happened that she needed to talk to him straight away.  
“Roxas?” She answered after one ring, “Rox, I need you to listen to me and not freak out.” The blonde’s panic was only increasing from her choice of words, had something happened to Axel? To Kairi?  
“Y-yeah, Namine.” He stuttered out, trying not to give away his panic,  
“Oh Roxas, I’m so sorry, but Kai and I wanted you to know now, not later.” The girl began,  
“What’s wrong? What’s happened?” Roxas got out as he heard his friend sigh through the phone,  
“He’s fine Roxas, but, Kair and I were just talking to Marly. Apparently..” Roxas felt himself growing impatient, now that his fear that something was wrong had dissipated.  
“Apparently what, Nam?” He asked as her silence became more and more drawn out,  
“ Axel’s seeing Larxene, Rox.” Kairi’s voice chimed in from somewhere behind Namine. Roxas felt the phone slip out of his hand. He always knew there was a possibility of this happening. Of Axel being straight, or just not wanting him. But with Larxene? Of all people? “Roxas?!” Kairi called out when he hadn’t answered, Roxas grabbed his phone from the floor,  
“I’m okay Kairi, just, shocked.”  
“Why don’t we come get ready for work with you? Marly also told us you’re covering Ven tonight.” the girl suggested, Roxas smiled, she really was a good friend.  
“I’d like that, do you want me to come get you guys?”

Roxas took a breath as he stared at his own reflection in the backstage mirror, thank god hardly anyone from Oblivion High ever came to Marly’s. Technically the cabaret was all ages, but Rude the security guard was normal pretty unfriendly when it came to underage kids.  
“It’s showtime, Roxy.” Roxas smiled at Marluxia as he walked out of the dressing room and onto the darkened stage.

Roxas’ POV

I take a breath and steady myself before looking out at the crowd and beginning the routine and the song.  
**_Oh no_**  
 ** _Don't go changing_**  
 ** _That's what you told me from the start_**  
_"I'm Axel, A-X-E-L, got it memorized?" I laughed at the boy in front of me with the flaming red hair and lucid jade green eyes._  
 _"I'm Roxas, R-O-X-A-S, got that memorized?" We both laugh at my use of the other boys catchphrase._  
 _"Cute Roxas, stay that way."_  
**_Thought you where something different_**  
 ** _That's when it all just fell apart_**  
I smile out at the crowd as I sing, remember all of the times I was with Axel, every time I perform this song, it's almost like I'm performing for him. Because in a way, I think I can relate to the lyrics, being in love with someone but they want someone else, a girl to be exact.  
_**Like you're so perfect**_  
 _ **And I can't measure up**_  
 _ **Well I'm not perfect**_  
 _ **Just all messed up**_  
_"What's wrong with me, Nam?" I asked as I sobbed into the blonde girls arms, she pulled me tighter towards her, stroking my hair._  
 _"There's nothing wrong with you Rox." I looked up at her eyes, so similar to my own,_  
 _"then why does he want Larxene? Is she perfect to him or am I just too much of a mess?" Naminé shook her head at this,_  
 _"Roxas, you may have your problems but so does my brother and honestly I don't know why he's with her, I'm sorry Rox."_  
**_I was losing myself to somebody else_**  
 ** _But now I see_**  
 ** _I don't wanna pretend_**  
 ** _So this is the end of you and me_**  
I start really getting into the routine as I hit the chorus, strutting around and owning that stage but I still can't help but feel like crying while I'm doing this, because the only person who would understand is Axel, but he doesn't care, he's got Larxene.  
**_Cause the girl that you want_**  
 ** _She was tearing us apart_**  
 ** _Cause she's everything_**  
 ** _Everything I'm not_**  
_"Hey Rox! Wait up!" I sighed and quickened my pace as I kept walking away from Axel, I heard the footfalls getting closer to me and I feel a hand grab my arm,_  
 _"Rox, hey why are you walking away from me?" I looked up at him, I guess I really can never stay mad at him, even if I had to find out from his sister that he was dating someone._  
 _"Why didn't you tell me Ax?" I asked as I looked away from him, I heard a soft "oh" from him and when I looked back up I saw, regret, guilt and I think it was longing in those jade eyes._  
I look out at the crowd as I finish up the routine, scanning to see if I can recognise any of Ven’s “appointments” so I can turn them down. I stop dead as I see a familiar face in the centre of the front row, piercing green eyes staring up at me. I feel like I’m going to hurl as make my way backstage.


	3. Hold Me Down

Chapter 3: Hold Me Down

 

Normal POV

 

Roxas runs into a very flustered looking Reno backstage,

“Have you seen Demyx?” He pleads, looking at Roxas as if he’s the only person left he could know.

“No, I haven’t. Why are you here Reno?” Roxas asks as Reno’s face falls, his concern becoming apparent.

“Marly asked me to work security and keep an eye on the twins seeing as they’re working tonight. But Dem’s been gone for nearly two hours Rox. He was supposed to be at Destiny Keys but reception say they haven’t seen him.” Roxas sighs, quickly changing into his normal clothes before making his way down a dimly lit hallway to Marluxia’s office.

“Marly, what room is Dem in?” He asks, all formalities dropped. Marluxia looks up at him confused before glancing down at his watch and realising the same thing Roxas has. 

“183.” Marluxia replies as Roxas makes his way out of the office and the building itself. Almost running down the couple of blocks that separate the club from the Destiny Keys hotel. 

 

Roxas slips past reception heading down the hall to room 183 before pounding the door. Roxas gasps at the man that opens the door, recognising the platinum blonde immediately. He pushes past the man to see Demyx on the floor.

“Well, well Roxas, pleasure seeing you here.” The boy feels chills run down his spine at the hoarse voice, picking Demyx off the floor, “and where do you think you’re taking him?” The man asks, Roxas turns to him, squaring off against the much larger man.

“He’s leaving Luxord.” Roxas answers curtly as he ushers Demyx towards the door, “I’ll stay, but he’s leaving.” The man smiles at the two of them, stepping aside to let Demyx past. The sandy haired boy runs out of the room, looking back at his friend. Roxas nods at him to continue before Luxord closes the door, locking the younger blonde in with him.

“Well, I suppose that this works. You always were my favourite Roxas.”

 

Demyx runs down the dark streets back towards the club, running face first into the chest of a man standing outside. 

“I-I’m so sorry,” he stammers out before looking up to see Axel, cigarette in hand, looking down at him, “Oh my god, Ax, what are you doing here?” He asks the red head,

“I was looking for Roxas, I saw him come outside-“ The red head is cut short as Demyx’s face pales,

“Rox is in trouble Ax, he’s at the Keys, the guy he’s with is a psycho. He stayed so I could get out.” Axel looks at Demyx, assessing the fear in his face, Dem normally exaggerates but he seems dead serious. Axel takes off running, Demyx’s calls fading away behind him.

“Please be okay Rox.” Axel whispers as he runs towards the hotel.

 

“Come on out, pretty boy. I wanna play with you.” Roxas shakes as the voice flows through the bathroom door. The only thing between himself and Luxord, he holed himself up inside hoping the man had drank enough to pass out but apparently that was wishful thinking.

“Just a second, I wanna be perfect for you.” Roxas calls out, his voice shaking slightly as he quietly shimmies the bathroom window open. Thank god Marly only uses rooms on the first floor.

“I’m growing impatient Roxas.” The boy ignores the comment as he swings his legs out of the window. Dropping down to the street. He straightens himself out and begins calmly walking away so as to avoid being noticed.

“Roxas?” The blonde looks up ahead of him to see Axel standing there panting, “are you okay?” His friend asks, Roxas brings his finger to his closed lips and points at the open window as he walks over to where Axel is standing, leaning up to whisper in his ear,

“We;ve gotta go.” He grabs Axel’s hand and begins walking back towards the club. 

“ROXAS!” The voice calls out from the entrance of the hotel and the blonde boy begins sprinting, dragging Axel along behind him as the red head struggles to keep up with him. Roxas knows that if they can at least get in Rude’s line of sight they’ll be okay.

Roxas feels his legs slowing as they almost reach the club, thinking they’ve gotten away he lets his guard down. Slipping his hand out of Axel’s as they slow to a jog. Roxas lets out a muffled cry as someone grabs him from behind, placing a hand over his mouth and dragging him into the alleyway just down from the club.

“I will get what I paid for Roxas, you’re not getting away.” Luxord says as he pins the boy to the way of the alley, tugging at his pants and kissing him ferociously as he begins to unzip his own pants. Roxas feels himself begin shaking, fear seizing his entire body. He stops when he hears the sound of bone crunching against bone, looking in awe as Luxord falls to the ground. Axel is standing there,

“Run, Roxas.” He tells him in a dark voice. The blonde nods and obeys running from the alley and towards the club. He sees Reno standing out the front with Rude, 

“Reno! You have to help Axel, he’s in the alley with Luxord.” Reno nods and Rude ushers Roxas inside, taking him upstairs to the employee break room.

 

“You think you can get away with this?” Smack. More bone against bone as the fiery red head lands another punch to Luxord’s face as he gets back up. “You think you can do what you want?” He says as he lands a swift kick to the mans stomach. “You won’t.” He says as he brings his heel down on the older mans groin, watching in satisfaction as he groans in pain, curling in on himself on the dirty ground of the alleyway. Axel looks up to the mouth of the alley when he hears clapping, glaring at his older brother, “what are you doing out here?” He growls. The older laughing at him,

“Roxas wanted me to make sure you were okay.” The older replies, the grin never leaving his face as his younger brother walks past him back towards Marly’s.

“Where is he Reno?” Axel asks, venom dripping from his words,

“easy there, Ax, what do you want with the kid?” Reno asks, scared by the look on his brother’s face. While Reno and the twins knew just what Roxas’ job was at the club they had all agreed it would be best if Axel didn’t know. He had always been protective of Roxas and they all knew how short of a temper the middle Flynn child had. 

“I want answers Reno,” Reno sighed at his older brother, knowing there’s no way he would win this argument.

“Upstairs, break room.” Axel nods, turning to make his way inside of the club, “don’t you dare hurt him Axel.” Axel laughs at the comment,

“You know I never could Re.” He replies before making his way upstairs, pausing outside of the door marked “employees only”.


	4. One Man Drinking Games

Chapter 4: One Man Drinking Games.

 

Blue-grey tendrils of smoke surround Roxas as he sits in the cold metal of the fire escape outside of the break room window. Kairi and Namine are sat on the step just above him, each with a comforting hand on his shoulder as he takes a drag from his cigarette through shaking hands and lips.

“He’ll be okay Roxas,” Namine offers as she rubs slightly at his shoulder, batting the smoke curling towards her away with her free hand, the blonde boy sighs as he feels a tear stream down the side of his face,

“I know he will,” the boy replies, taking another drag and watching the smoke curl and fold away from him as he does so, “but he was here Nami, he was sitting in the crowd.” Namine sighs as she rubs her friends shoulder. The four of them had agree that Axel would never know Roxas did more then waiting tables for Marly.

“It’s okay Rox, maybe with everything that’s happened he’ll forget about-“ Kairi is cut short as the door to the break room is flung open, Axel’s tall frame and shock of bright red hair coming into view. Roxas feels his shoulders begin to shake harder as the older boy makes his way over to them, the girls push themselves up and climb in through the window to stand before their brother.

“Move aside Kai, Nami.” Axel says as he continues over to them,

“leave him alone, Ax.” Namine pleads with her brother as she hears movement behind her, followed by Roxas, none too gracefully, coming through the window.

“It’s okay Namine, go let Marly know we’re both okay,” Roxas sighs, the twins nodding as they walk out of the room, leaving only the two best friends alone.

 

“Roxas..” Axel knows his voice has a little too much strain in it as he says the boys name, bringing his hand up to touch his shoulder only to have the little blonde recoil away from him.

“Save it, Axel.” Roxas spits as he moves to gather his things from his locker on the far wall. The taller boy follows him, placing his hand against one of the closed metal doors, caging Roxas between his arms. “I don’t wanna hear it Axel.” Roxas says in a resigned tone as he turns around to leave, Axel bringing his other arm up to trap the boy.

“You’re going to talk to me Rox, whether you like it or not.” Roxas fixes his stare to the ground below his feet, refusing to look up at the taller. “How long?” Both boys know what Axel is asking and yet Roxas continues to ignore him, never bringing his gaze above his friend’s knees. “Roxas,” Axel says to him curtly, bringing one hand to his chin, forcing Roxas to look him in the eye.

“Drop it Ax, it doesn’t matter.” The blonde boy replies as he know stares into his friends malachitee eyes, unable to determine if it is hurt, confusion or anger swirling within them.

“It does matter Roxas, what the hell were you thinking?” Anger fills the older’s voice as the words fall from his lips, never breaking his gaze with the younger. “Demyx is a big boy, he can handle himself.” Roxas plants his feet firmly as he glares at Axel,

“so can I, that asshole likes me more than Dem anyway.” Axel blanched at the younger’s words, staring at him incredulously. “Just forget it Axel, forget you saw me here. Hell, forget all about me if I sicken you that much.” Roxas feels tears begin welling in his eyes, this was a conversation he never wanted to be having with his best friend. Not in a million years.

“I can’t do that Roxas,” Axel replies, moving his hand to now cup the boy’s cheek, swiping away a tear with his thumb. “I love you too much,” those words were the last straw for the blonde as he brings his fist back, wincing at the sound and feel of his knuckles colliding with his best friends jaw. Axel staggers back, holding his jaw in pain as he stares at his young friend.

 

“Don’t you dare say that Axel!” Roxas yells as he slams his locker door shut and begins making his way over to the door, Axel moving to stand between him and it.

“Why not?” Axel asks, the pain evident in his voice though Roxas can’t tell if it’s due to feelings or the fact that he just hit him. Roxas pushes past his friend and begins making his way down the stairs, tears coming in full force as he runs into a concerned looking Reno,

“Rox, what happened?” Roxas just shakes his head at the oldest Flynn sibling and walks out of the door. The dumb founded Reno begins making his way upstairs only to find his brother walking out of the employees only area cradling his jaw. “What the hell happened to you?” He asks, grabbing his brothers arm to stop him in hopes of assessing the damage.

“I’ve gotta go find Rox, Re.” Axel replies, trying to remove himself from his brother’s grip.

“Leave the kid alone, Ax.” Reno replies, touching his brothers jaw gingerly as the younger winces from the feeling, “by the looks of this he needs time to cool off.” Axel begins to open his mouth in protest but is silenced by his brother’s look. Axel nods his head and makes his way downstairs with Reno, sitting at the bar to wait for Larxene wherever she ran off to.

 

Roxas slams the front door shut behind him. Still fuming from the events that had occurred between himself and Axel. He glances down at his phone,

“Talk to me Rox.” Another text to add to the three Axel had already sent on his way here, Roxas ignores it once more, silencing his phone as it begins to ring. Hoping that maybe enough silence will give Axel the hint that he doesn’t want to talk to him. The blonde boy moves to the kitchen, grabbing a cup of noodles from the cupboard and flicking the switch on the kettle. He leans back with his elbows on the counter as his phone vibrates, signalling another text. “Come on, Roxas.” The blonde just shakes his head as he adds the now hot water to his noodles, placing a fork on top of the lid to keep the heat in. Another prolonged vibration. Another missed phone call. The red head refused to take no for an answer. Roxas sighed as he picked up his snack, moving into the living room before folding himself down onto the couch, turning the T.V. on to whatever mindless programme was playing. 

 

The blonde grew more and more irritated the more his friend tried to call him when suddenly the chime of the doorbell sounded off. 

“Fuck off, Axel!” Roxas yelled out as he grabbed the remote, turning the volume up higher. The doorbell rang again and Roxas growled as he pushed himself off of the couch. He walked over to the front door, swinging it open with a look of malice on his face.

“Now, now, that’s no way to greet a guest.” Roxas’ jaw dropped as he stared at the boy standing in his doorway, not believing his eyes. He took in the deep cerulean eyes before him, only a few shades darker than his own. The spiky haired brunette encircled Roxas in his arms, whispering into his ear, “I’m home.” As more tears spilled down the blonde’s cheeks.


End file.
